Environmental Awareness

What exactly is Environmental Awareness?

Environmental awareness is exactly what it sounds like: a conscious knowledge of the natural environment and the choices that either benefit or hurt it. It is also the recognition that the earth requires protection in order to survive. Furthermore, the term "environmentalism" refers to the belief that humans are responsible for protecting and preserving the environment from human-caused harm. As previously stated, human-made decisions are the primary cause of the planet's deterioration. Environmental activism on a wide scale is one of the most effective strategies to resist the destructive repercussions of these human decisions and assist the planet's health turn around.

Importance of Environmental Awareness

To begin with, greenhouse gas concentrations have been steadily rising since the industrial revolution, increasing by more than a third. This means that as greenhouse gas levels grow, global temperatures rise, and a slew of other problems arise, including:

Melting glaciers and severe droughts are increasing the risk of wildfires by causing more water shortages.
Coastal flooding is caused by rising sea levels, particularly in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
Pest infestations, heat waves, and heavy rains in forests, farms, and cities, all of which can harm or destroy crops and fisheries.
The rate at which coral reefs are being destroyed and, as a result, the rate at which plants and animals are becoming extinct is increasing.

Eco Time

Why You Should Care?

A Clean Environment Is Essential for Healthy Living: The more you don't care about our environment, the more it will become polluted with contaminants and toxins that have a harmful impact on our health.

The major causes for environmental degradation:

1.Air Pollution:

Air pollution is defined as the release of pollutants into the atmosphere that are damaging to human health and the environment, such as gases, particles, biological molecules, and so on.
Causes : Automobiles, mining, industries and factories, fossil fuels, and other factors contribute to it.
Effects : Respiratory disorders, heart issues, lung cancer, pneumonia, and asthama are all caused by air pollution. It also contributes to global warming, ozone depletion, and acid rain. Air pollution affects wild life as well.
How to control :
Energy Conversation : To generate energy, a vast amount of fossil fuels are used. As a result, remember to turn off all electrical equipment when not in use. As a result, you may conserve the environment on a personal level.
Reduce Using Vehicles : Vehicles should not be used for shorter distances. Instead, people should use public transportation to get from one location to another. Not only does this reduce pollutants, but it also saves electricity.
Using Cleaner Energy Resourses : Solar, wind, and geothermal energy minimise air pollution to a greater extent. Several countries, notably India, have adopted the utilisation of these resources as a means of reducing pollution.
Tree Plantation : A vast amount of contaminants in the air are reduced by plants and trees. Planting trees in places with high pollution levels will, in theory, be quite effective. Through her contributions, Saalumarada Thimmakka, an Indian environmentalist from Karnataka, played a big part in planting trees and improving the environment.
Reduce Industrial Pollutions : The gas emitted by fireplaces in homes and factories is extremely dangerous for air pollution and has a significant negative impact on air quality. If consumption cannot be reduced, filters should be used, as this will help to limit the effect

2. Water Pollution:

Water pollution refers to the pollution of water bodies. When industrial and agricultural effluents affect water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans, groundwater, and aquifers, water pollution occurs.
Causes: Industrial wastes, social and religious behaviours, urbanisation, deforestation, detergents, fertilisers, and agricultural runoff such as pesticides and insecticides are all contributors of water pollution.
Effects : Water contamination has a significant impact on aquatic life. It has an impact on the food chain because people who eat sea food absorb the contaminants into their bodies and contract illnesses like hepatitis from fecal contamination in water sources. Water contamination has a significant impact on the ecosystem and has the potential to destroy it.
How to Control :
Treatment before Discharge : Industries should treat their polluted water before discharging it to the water bodies.
Reuse : Water should be reused where ever it can be , as reusing reduces further pollution of pure water .
Water Hyacinth : A very special plant, the Water Hyacinth can absorb dissolved toxic chemicals such as cadmium and other such elements. Establishing these in regions prone to such kinds of pollutants will reduce the adverse effects to a large extent.
Chemical Treatment : Precipitation, the ion exchange process, reverse osmosis, and coagulation are some chemical processes that aid in the treatment of water pollution.
Individual Level : Individually, reusing, reducing, and recycling as much as possible will help to mitigate the effects of water contamination. of dangerous gases absorbed in the air.

3. Deforestation:

Deforestation is the loss of forest land for other purposes such as agricultural crops, urbanisation, or mining operations around the world. Deforestation is also defined as the removal of forests, which causes many ecological and environmental imbalances .
Causes : Agricultural operations are the primary culprit, with deforestation accounting for 80% of the total. Paper, matchsticks, furniture, and other wood-based sectors all require a significant amount of wood supplies. Another reason is overpopulation and population shift. Forest fires are another significant factor.
Effects : Deforestation has a significant impact on the climate. Climate change is caused by an imbalance in air temperature, a drier climate, and more severe environmental conditions. The ratio of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased as a result of ongoing deforestation. Soil loses its ability to store water, resulting in floods in certain areas and droughts in others. Habitat loss has resulted in the extinction of a number of animal species. Our oceans are becoming more acidic as a result of increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere caused by deforestation and the combustion of fossil fuels. Forests not only provide home for wildlife, but they also help to conserve medicinal plants.
How to Control :
The most effective way to combat deforestation is to impose a set of regulations and laws that control tree chopping. · Defending old-growth forests against illicit logging and reducing logging.
Printing paper, notebooks, napkins, toilet paper, and other types of paper are all used on a regular basis. Reduce your use, reduce your paper waste, and choose recycled paper products.
Educating local populations and tourists about the need of forest preservation and development, as well as enrolling in ecotourism activities.
Livestock farming has been one of the most significant contributors to deforestation. Reduce your meat consumption. Some people may find it difficult to try. However, even if you only consume meat for one meal a day, you will have a significant impact on the ecosystem. Reduce Consumption of Deforestation Prone Products

Radioactive Wastes and Pollution

Radioactive wastes are wastes produced by nuclear power plants or medical laboratories. They include radioactive compounds that pose a threat to most living things as well as the environment. Because the wastes decay over time, they would be kept in a secure location until they lost their radioactivity and no longer posed a hazard to the environment. The amount of time required is determined by the type of waste and radioactive isotopes.
Nuclear Waste Management : Exposure to radioactive wastes at levels higher than the natural background can be dangerous to one's health. Exposure to high-level radioactive wastes can cause cancer, birth deformities, and other problems. Within their borders, the government is responsible for the proper disposal of radioactive waste. Possession, transportation, storage, and disposal of trash are all part of the waste management cycle.
Radioactive waste Pollution : The polluting of water and air by radioactive elements is known as radioactive pollution. It is possible to cause life-threatening pollution if radioactive waste is not properly disposed of. For instance, the first atomic bomb, which exploded during World War II, had far-reaching consequences that the world will never forget. Flora and fauna were wiped out completely. Nearly 30% of the population was either burned or died as a result of the bomb's radiation, while another 30% was gravely damaged. Even after these findings, the nuclear arms race between various nations continues, resulting in radioactive contamination.

Zero Waste Tips

Refuse what you do not need

Reduce what you do need; reconsider just how much stuff you actually need

Reuse by repurposing stuff, or by using reusable objects like metal straws

Recycle what you cannot refuse, reduce or reuse Rot (compost) the rest

Things You Can Do to Save Environment :

✅
The Three R's : Reduce, reuse, and recycle should be the mindset behind your actions. Reduce the use of products that harm the environment whenever and where ever you can. Reuse non degradable your stuff rather than throwing them as much as you can. Recycle whatever can be recycled .
✅
Communities : Join Groups, Communities and Programs which have the motive to save the environment and add your contribution to them as well as make your connections aware of the cause so they can join these groups too .
✅
Educate Yourself : Educate yourself about the Environment, its pollution rates, causes, actions that promote pollution, chemicals that are largely responsible and products that are causing huge damage. This way you will be conscious about your actions and habits towards saving the environtment .
✅
Aware about Market : Read the Ingredients of everything you use, the effects of the chemicals added to them and what harm they cause to you as well as the environment . Then choose wisely what to buy to reduce these harms .
✅
Life Style Changes : Recognize Daily habits and patterns that is causing pollution and always choose the better alternative if possible. What you do daily consciously or unconsciously matter a lot.
✅
Local Shopping : Buy stuff from local shops rather than supermarkets , especially food items because they will be fresh and free of preservatives unlike packed ones in malls , benefiting your health as well as nature .
✅
Conserve : Conserve water , electricity and fuel where ever you can cause the methods they are made cause a lot of pollution and have bad effects in the long term .
✅
Reusable Items : Always choose reusable items rather than one time use plastics . This small practice will have a big effect because a large amount of plastic used can be eradicated.
✅
Carpooling : If possible , use carpooling to save fuel , environment and also socialise more with people.
✅
Inspire Others : Above all the mentioned steps , Inspire others with the knowledge you possess to create a chain of awareness among the population, which together has a tremendous amount of power which can save the planet and largely reduce the overall pollution .

DataHub Climate Change